Rolling-mill catcher



Feb. 19, 1929.

mnessess 1,702,739 A. R. MCARTHUR ROLLING MILL CATCHER Filed June 20,1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 jnuerztor:

Feb. 19, 1929. 1,702,739

A. R. M ARTHUR ROLLING MILL CATCHER Filed June 20, 192'? 5 Sheets-Sheet2 MM km bk mnessez':

Feb. 19, 1929. 1,702,739

A. R. M ARTHUR ROLLING MILL CATCHER Filed June 20, 1927 S'SheetS-Sheet 3Inventor: 4677/08 ,6. fl fllerfiu'e,

' Feb. 19, 1929,

A. R. MCARTHUR ROLLING MILLY CATCHER Filed June 20, 1927 5 Sheets-SheetInventor.

' Witnesses.-

Feb. 19, 1929. 1,702,739

' A. R M ARTHUR ROLLING MILL CATCHER Filed June 20, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet5 llitmsses:

Patented Feb. 19, 1929, T

Y U ITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ARTHUR R. MOARTHUR, OF GARY, INDIANA, ASSIGNQR TO AMERICAN SHEET AND TINPLATE COMPANY,- OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ACORPORATION DE NEW JERSEY.

noLLme-MILL CATCHER.

Applicatiorfiled June 20, 1927. Serial No. 200,053. w

- This invention relates to rolling mills of i the class used in rollingsheets and plates and more particularly to the provision ofnovel meanswhereby the, sheets or plates being rolled; either singly or in packs,are mechanically handled 'or 'manipulated during the rolling operations,in transferring or returning the sheets or plates from the recelving orfcatchers side of the mill to the} opposite or rollers side thereof,into position to be again passed between the rolls for} furtherreduction or rolling One object is toprovide a mechanical catchingmechanism for sheets and theplate rolling mills which will be entirelyautomatic in operation; which will automatically gage the length of thesheets, and which will deliver the finished sheets in a pile at the rearof the catcher. c

Another object is to provide a catching mechanism for/sheet and tin,plate rolling mechanism which will be composed of few parts, and ofcomparatively simple construction, therefore, reducing its cost of main-'25 tenance to a minimum.

In the drawings. Fig

mill having the catching mechanism of this invention applied thereto,the control switches being omitted for 'clearness. I

Figure 2 is a sectional side elev tion there- Figure 3 is asectionalelevation on the line IHIH of Figure 1. 1

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation on the line IV,IV of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a rear end elevation of the catching mechanism.

I Figure 6 is a diagram of the electric control mechanism and circuits.

- Figure 7. is a fragmentary elevation of the upper portion of the pinchroller housing showing the operating mechanism for the forward controlswitch; p y

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numerals 2 and 3designate the mill rolls of a sheet or plate hot mill, which are'journaled in the usual housing 4.

The catcher of this invention comprises a wheeled frame B composed oftop and bottom side beams 5 an 6 tied togetherand e 1 is a sectionalplan View of a hot k the conveying roller shafts in a counterspaced bysuitable vertical and transverse members 7 and 8.

A plurality of bearing blocks 9' are secured to the top of the top beams5-of the frame and conveyer'roller shafts 10'are journaled in the blocks9. The shaftsflO are adapted to support a plurality of disk like rollers12, which roll ers are spaced on the shaftsso as to be staggered withrelation to the rollers on the next adjacent shaftand are of such adiameter that the rollers on one shaft overlap the rollers on the nextshaft so as to present a substantially continuous conveying surface. Q

The shafts 101are each provided with a pair I of sprockets 14 and drivechains 15 are trained over the sproekets 14 so as to connect each shaftwith its next adjacent shaft. An electrio drive motor 16 is mounted on amotor support 17 at-the one side of the frame B and has its'armatureshaft 18 provided with a pinion 19 which'is meshed with a gear20 on a drive shaft21 journaled in suitable bearings inthe frame B. ,Asprocket 22 is secured on-the drive shaft 21 and connected to one of-the sprockets 14 on they rearmost .vconveyer roller shaft 10 by a chain23. 1 The motor 16 is adapted to normally drive clockwise direction ortoward the hot mill,

unless reversed by means to be described, so

asto normally feed the sheets forwardly over 'the mill to the rollersside thereof.

spectively, which are mounted in windows 28 in vertical housings 29 atthe rear end of the frame B The shafts 24 and 25-are each pro-,

videdwith roller disks 30 which are opposite each other so as to bitethe sheets as they are fed therebetween. The top bearing blocks 27 areadapted to slide vertically in the windows 28 whenla sheet entersbetween the disks 30 and therefore, these blocks are provided with theusu'al spring mounting, consisting of vertical spring guide rods 31 andsprings 32.'

The rods 31 are adapted to engage and raise a transverse bar 33, whenthe top roller shaft 25 and blocks 27 are moved upwardly by a sheetenteringbetween the roller disks 30,

for a purpose to be described.

The lower pinch roller shaft 24 is prothrough upper ends engage acarrying pinch rollers 4e? are iournaled in the bearing blocks -12 andThe upper bearing blocks ll and il-3 in each of the windows 38 and 39each adapted to move vertically in the windows and are provided with theusual spripg-mounting for normally forcing them downwardly, so as tohold the top pinch rollers against the lower rollers. The springmounting for the top blocks all consists of vertical spring guide rods4; around which are mounted coiled springs 5U which are engaged betweenabutment 51 on the rods 49 and a window cover plate 52 on the housing.The spring mounting for the top blocks d3 consists of vertical springguide rods 53 around which are mounted coiled springs 54.- which areengaged between an abutment 55 on the rods 53 and a transverse plate 56on the housing The rods 53 extend through the plate 56 bar 5'? soas tomove said bar upwardly when the rods 53 are moved upwardly by theentrance of a sheet or plate between the pinch rollers 47.

The lower ones of each of the pairs otpinch rollers 45 and t7 areadapted to be power driven in a clockwise direction and, therefore, theshafts 4A and 46 carrying these rollers are provided with sprockets 58and 59, respectively, p which are connected to a sprocket 60 on a powershaft til by a sprocket chain 62 which is trained over the sprockets 58,59, and 60. The shaft 61 is provided with a gear 63 which is in meshwith a pinion 64 on the armaturesha-lt of an electric motor 65, whichmotor is mounted on a motor support 66 secured to the main frame B. p

The top surface ot the forward-end one of the conveying rollers 12 onthe main frame or table B is materially above the remaining rollers 12,and also 5 and 47. v lit will also be noted that the pin h rollers 45and 47 are materially above the bite of the hot mill rolls 2 and 3.Therefore, in order to feed the sheets and plates from the hot millrolls onto the rollers 12, the forward pinch rollers 45 are mounted withtheir bite materially below the top surface of the rollers 12 andslightly above the bite of the rolls 2 and 3, and'the bite of the pinchrollers 4:7 is arranged slightly above the'bite of the pinch materiallyabove the bite weaves rollers 45 and below the top surface of therollers 12,

In operation, after the catcher is positioned on the catchers side ofthe hot mill, sheets or plates passing from. the bite of the mill rolls2 and 3 will engage the lower pinch roll 45 above its center line andthen be forced to enter the bite of the rear pinch rollers 4:5 whichwill feed the sheet forwardly into the bite of the other pinch rollers47,. which in turn will teed the sheet upwardly onto the conveyingrollers 12 with suiiicient force to cause the sheet to coast along therollers 12 free of pinch rollers 47. The rollers 12 being normallyrotated in a counterclockwise direction or toward the mill will conveyor return the sheet forwardly or toward the mill, and, due to the topsurface of the upper plane ot the forward-end one of the rollers 12being above the remaining rollers 12 and also above the bite of thepinch rollers it the sheet will have its mill or forward end forcedupwardly over the forward or mill end conveying roller 12 and over the 7top ones rollers are revolved in a counter-clockwise di rection to therollers side of the mill.

A small conveying or carried by a shaft 68 journaled in suitablebearings 69 in the I pinch roller housing 3'! at a point above andforward of the top pinch roller t5, and serves to convey or boost thesheet or plate over the mill. The roller shalt 68 is provided with asprocket 70; which is connected by a chain'll to a sprocket 72 on theupper-pinch roller shalt dd.

The motors l6 and 65 are adapted to be con trolled by standard controldrives shown diagrammatically in the drawings; The motor 16 is adaptedto be automatically controlled or reversed by an electrically operatedcontroller 7 3 which in turn is controlled by switches 74, T5, and 76operated by the sheets or plates.

The switch 74 is mounted in a bracket 77 on the pinch roller housing 37and is provided with an'operating aim 78 adapted to-be operated by arocking'lever 79 having a cam end 80. The lever 79 is pivotedintermediate its ends on the bracket 77 and carries a plunger 81 whichextends downwardly through the bracket 77 into engagement with the bar57, which bar is adapted to be raised by the spring guide rods 53 ofbearing blocks 43 for the upper pinch roller t7. In operation,-theswitch 74 is normally open and when a sheet or plate or pack passesthetop roller will be raised thereby moving the rods 53 upwardly so asto move the bar 57 upwardly and operate the lever79 so as to operate theswitch arm 7 8 and move the switch into closed position.

The switch 76 is similar. to the and is mounted on a switch '74 boosterroller 68 isof the pinch rollers 45 and 47, which bracket 82 on thepinch roller housing 29 and is j provided with an operating arm 83adapted to be operated by a rocking lever 84-having acam'end 85.' v Thelever 84 is pivoted intermediate its ends on the bracket 82 and carriesa plunger 86 which extends downwardly through'the bracket 82 intoengagement with the bar 33, which bar is adapted to be raised by thespring guide rods 31, of bearing blocks 27, ,for'the upper pinch roller1 shaft 25. In operation the switch 76 is normally open,and when a sheetor plate 'or pack passes- -between the pinch rollers 30 the 1,013 rollerwill be 'raised,' there'- by moving the rods 31 upwardly so as to movethe bar 33 upwardly and operate the lever 84 so as to operate thesWitcharml83-and move vthe switch 76 into closedp osit'ion.

to be locked in adjusted position by looking through a manually treadleoperated switch bolts 91, and'is provided with an indicator.

point 92 whichco-operates with a, s'calerod V 25] 'riage.

indicate the adjusted positionof the can The switch 75, like theswitches 74 and 76, is normallyin open position and is provided with anoperating arm 94 adapted to be oper ated to' close the switch by apendulum-like tripping lever 95 piavot'ally suspended from the carriage88 and extending downwardly into the path of the sheets orplates. The

lever 95 has a head 96 con 1posed of two 'quadrants of different radiithe rear quadrant be-f dius so as to raise the switch arm 94 when thelever is moved rear-1 wardly by the sheets or plates passing thercing ofthe greater ra under.

Assuming that the, catcher has been posithat the mill isrunning' 10.1,and 102 will be closed Whenthe switch is closed a circuit willbecompleted to themotor 65 to operate-the with the switches '75 and 76.Now, assuming ,that a sheet is being rolled, it will pass from therolling mill into the .bite of the pinch pinch rollers 45 and 47 asfollows- From onepside of the line 103- throughthe' switch 100 to line104,1through the series field 105 of the compound motor 65', and throughthe armature 106 of the inotor65, to the line .107 to the oontactors 108onthe automatic starting resistance108". AT shunt circuit will" also becompleted from the line 104 through i the shunt field 109 of the motortoline 110,

through a manually operated rheostat lll to lines 1'12 and 113 to theother side of-line 103-.

Simultaneously with the closing'of the sWitchfJLOO a control circuitwill be completed e switch 100 through a line 114,

v11 5, which is normally closed, and from the Now referring specificallyto itheawirink diagram of Figure 6, the operation and cir cuit-s will bedescribed in 'fulL- "switch 115 through a 1ine 116 to a coil 117 in theautomatic starting resistance 108%, From the coil 117 the circuit iscompleted through pletion of the control circuit energizes the P coil117, said coil will operate toimove the contactors 108 into closedposition successive- 1y as is usual in this form of standard startingresistance, so as tocomplete the circuit through themotor series fieldand armature from .the contactors 108, through, the resist-- ance banks120 to. the lines 121 and 113 to the I other side of the line.- Theabove circuits will energize the motor 65 and cause it to operate thepinch rollers 45 and 47 and. the booster roller 68 and if for any reasonthe roller should desire to stop the pinch rollers and booster roller,he cando so bystepping on theftreadle operated switch 115.

' Closing of the switch 102 completes the I power circuit in the forwarddirection to the catcher table'motor 16 as follows- From the positiveside of line 103 to line 122, to line 123, through a movable contactor124 of the controller 73 to line 125, then through fixed resistance126toline 127 to the armature 128 of, the motor 16, through the armature128vto-line-129 and through a fixed resistance 130 and line 131 to amovable contactor 132 of the controller 7 3, From the contactor 132 thecircuit iscontinued throughv a line 133 to; the series field 134 of themotor l6, through the"field/ '134 tothe line 135 and thenegativesideofithe line 103. Simulta-' neously with the making, of the above circuits ashuntcircuit'is. made from tlfe line 122 through a linef137', throuhthershunt'- field138of the motor 16 and s iunt line 139 to'the line135' and the negative side of ,t'he line 103. 1 j

Closing of the switch 101/completes' a con- 'trol circuit for operatingthe electrically operatedcontroller 73, tl1ro,ugl1 a line l40 -as far asthe switch 74 on the positive line and connects the negative linethrough a line 141' switch 74 line 142 and to operating coil 143 ofthe'controller 73'. The circuit will continue from the coil 143through:a line- 144 to the switches 7 5and 76 which, we will assume, are stillopen. Therefore, the controller 73. will remain in forward closedposition and the conveyer rollers 12 on the catcher control circuitfromtheline through the table will continue to rotate in a forward orcounter-clockwise direction and return the switches 74 and 75 at thesame time.

sheet over the top pinch rollers 45 and 4'? to the rollers side otthe'mill tor re-rolling.

itter the sheet has been rolled to its required length its rear end willengage the 75 at the same time will be to complete the move into,reverse position.

control circuit from the line 144 through the switch 75 and through theline 141 to the negative side or the line 103, thus engaging controller73 to the coil 143 and causing the l l hen the controller 73 moves intoreverse position, the

' they will move out from between circuit to the motor armature isreversed as follows- From the positive side of the line through thelines 122 and 123 to the movable contactor 148 of the controller 73 toconnector 147 and through line 131 to resistance 130, line 129,

to the motor armature 128. The circuit is continued through the armature128 and line 127 to resistance 126, thence through line 125, andconnector 148 to movable contactor 149 of the controller 73. From thecontactor 149 the circuit is continued through a connector 150 to theline 133 and through the fields as previously described. v

When the motor 16 is reversed by the closing of the switches 74. and 75the conveying rollers 12 will, of course, be reversed or caused torotate in a clockwise direction to move the sheets rearwardly along thecatcher.

its the sheets are conveyed rearwardly the pinch rollers 47, therebypermitting the switch 74 to open. However, the circuit to the coil 143remains unbroken due to a shunt from the contactor 146 through acontactor 151 and line 152 to the. positive side of the coil 143.

In view of the shunt circuit to the coil 14? the controller will beforced'to remain in reverse position so as to continue the operation ofthe motor 16 in reverse'direction until the sheet is passed from thecatcher. v

As the sheet is moved along the catcher, the forward end of the sheetwill pass from under the pendulum 95 of the switch 75 so as to permitthis switch to open. However, prior to the sheet passing from under thependulum 95 the rear end of the sheet will be engaged in the bite of therear or feed-out I the switch 7 5 isopened the circuit through c pinchrollers 30 and will have served to moye the upper pinch roller shaft 25.upwardly so as to close the switch 76 as previously describedl After theswitch 76 is closed and the coil 143 will remain the same except thatthe circuit will be through the switch 76 and shunt line 155 from theline 144 to the line 141 instead of through the switch 7 5. 'lheretorethe controller 73 will remain in reverse position until the sheet hasbeen run completely from between the pinch rollers 30 at which time theswitch 76 will automatically open, breaking the circuit to the coil 143and permitting the controller 73 to automatically return toits forwardposition to automaticalmalre the forward circuits to the motor 16.

From the above it will be readily under stood that the catcher isentirely automatic in operation, may be used to catch various sizes ofsheets or plates, and is so arranged that the sheets or plates will beautomatically gaged for length. l/Vhile l have shown and described onespecificembodiment of my invention it will be understood that l. do notwish to be limited thereto since various modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of my invention as defined in theappended claims.

,1 claim- 1. A hot mill catcher, comprising the com-' bination with ahot mill of a catching table,

a plurality ot' conveying rollers on said table, means for feedingsheets from said mill onto said table, an electric motor for normallyoperating the conveying rollers in a direction to feed the sheets towardsaid mill, means for controlling the circuit to said motor for operatingsaid motor in reverse directions so as to operate said conveying rollersin reverse directions and feed the sheets v away from said mill, andmeans including at least one switch operable by said means for feedingthe sheets from said mill onto said table for controlling the operationof said circuit controlling means.

2. A. hot mill catcher, comprising the com bination with a hot mill of acatching table, a plurality of conveying rollers on said table, meansfor feeding sheets from said mill onto "said table, an electric motorfor operating.

said conveying rollers, means for controlling the circuit tosaid motorfor operating said motor in reverse directions so as to operate saidconveying rollers in reverse directions, said controlling means beingnormally posi tioned .to close the" forward circuit to said .motor so asto cause said motor to operate said rollers in a direction to feed thesheets toward. said mill, and interlocked means at opposite ends or saidtable adapted to be operated in unison by the sheets, for controllingthe operation of said circuit controlling means to cause said means toclose the reverse circuit to said motor so as to cause said motor tooperate said rollers in a direction t6 feed the sheets away from saidmill.

3. A hot mill catcher, comprising the combination with a hot mill of acatching table, a plurality out conveying rollers on said table; meansfor lfeeding sheets from said mill onto said table, an electric motorfor operating said conveying rollers, electrically operated means forcontrolling the circuit t'cnsaid mo;-

' tions so v in reverse dlrect-ions, and interlocked c1rcu1t tor foroperating said motor in reverse direcas to operate sald conveyingrollers closing means adapted to be operated in unison by the oppositeends of the sheets for controllin theoperation of said motor circuitcontrol ing means.

' 4. A hot mill catcher, comprising the combination with a hot mill of acatching table, a plurality of conveying rollers'on said table, meansfor feeding sheets from said mill onto said table, an electric motor foroperatin said conveying rollers, electrically operated means forcontrolling the circuit to said motor for operating said motor inreverse directions so as to operate said conveying roll ers in reversedirections, and interlocked cir-- cuit closing meansat opposite ends ofsaid table adapted to be operated in unison by the sheets forcontrolling the operation of said motor circuit controlling means.

5. A hot mill catcher, comprising the combination With a hot mill of acatching table, a plurality of conveying rollers on said table, meansfor feeding sheets from said mill onto said table, an electric motor foroperating said conveying rollers','electrically operated means forcontrolling the circuit to said motor for operating said rections so asto operate said conveying rollers in reverse directions, a circuitclosing means adjacent the mill end of said table, and a second circuitclosing means adjustably mounted adjacent the other end of said tableand interlocked with said first named circuit closing means, saidcircuit closing means heing adapted tobe operated by the sheets beingrolled to close the circuit controlling the operation of saidelectrically operated motor circuit controlling means.

6. A hot mill catcher, comprising the combination with a hot mill of acatching table, a the rolled sheets onto-said table, said table ingmaterially above the bite of said pinch rollersso that plates fedforwardly toward said mill by said table will be conveyed over the toprollers of said pinch rollers to the said mill, an electric motorentering side of for operating said pinch rollers, means operable by theoperator for'controlling the operation of said motor, a plurality ofconveying rollers on said table, an 'electric' motor for normallyoperating said (conveying rollers in a forward direction, means forcontrolsaid motor for operating ling the circuit to" said motor inreverse 'd1rect-ions so as tooperate sald convevmg rollers in reversedlrec- .cuit to motor in reverse dia pinch rollers,

plurality of pinch rollers adapted to feed tions, and interlocked meansoperable by the opposite ends of the sheets belng rolled for operatingsaid circuit controlling means to causesaid means to reverse theoperation of said motor and said conveying rollers.

rollers so that plates fed forwardly toward said mill by said table willbe conveyed over the top roller of said pinch rollers and over the toproll of said hot mill to the entering side'thereof, a' plurality ofconveying rollers on .said table, an electric motor for normallyoperating said conveying rollers in a forward direction, means forcontrolling the cirsaid motor for operating said motor in reversedirections so as to operate said conveyingrollers in reverse directions,and

means at the opposite ends of said table operable by the sheets beingrolled foroperatsaid table, said table bemg said motor circuitcontrolling means,

said means being interlocked so as to compel the simultaneous operationof both of said means before said motor is reversed to reverse theoperation of said conveying rollers.

8. A hot mill bination with a hot ill of a catching table, a pair ofpinch rol ers adapted to feed the rolled sheets onto said table, saidtable being materially above the bite of said pinch rollers so thatplates fed forwardly toward said mill by said table will be conveyedover the catcher, comprising the com-' top roller of said pinch rollersand over the top roll of said hot mill to the entering side thereof, anelectric motor for operating said means operable by the operator forcontrolling the operation of said motor, a plurality of conveyingrollers on said table, an electric motor for normally operating saidconveying rollers in a forward direction, means for controlling thecircuit to said motor for operating said motor in reverse directionssoas to operate said conveying rollers in reverse directions, and means atthe opposite ends of said table operable bythe sheets being rolled foroperating said motor circuit controlling means, said means beinginterlocked so as to compel the simultaneous operation of both of saidmeans before said motor is reversed to reverse the operation of saidconveying rollers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

